You know, the castle story "That Which Remains" is very effective at wounding me emotionally. Specifically, what is shown developing and then dashed against the rocks without mercy.
That is, Euden's and Audric's relationship in particular.
Now, at this point Audric hasn't learned he's forcing his magical Alzheimer's to him specifically on everyone else. Sure, there's been some weird instances people where couldn't remember things about him, but in general he's been sticking around pretty consistently for relationships to form.
Especially with Euden, since Euden seems to have developed a pretty close relationship with Audric. They've been working together regularly and often enough that Euden is maintaining so much sentiment about Audric that he feels ill-at ease when Audric is away. Enough to feel a need to vocalize his more selfish desire that Audric could stay, which is something considering Euden's tendency to push down anything he views as 'selfish'. He holds Audric in very high regard enough to send him on complicated, delicate solo missions.
He even seems to have figured out or is piecing together that Audric is Aurelius. Euden's about to potentially get his father back in some form, even an otherworldly one. Euden might have been able to get some actual parental support from his dad that he's missed since Aurelius' abrupt death, and Audric might have been able to get some quality time with at least one of his kids. Being able to help guide the next generation and ease some of his guilt.
...But by the time he returns Euden has forgotten him outright.
Though he doesn't remember anything about Audric, there still seems to be something that's distressing Euden. He flees uncharacteristically, whether it be because he is having sudden concerns for his own health/memory or strong emotions lingering that he has no context for now.
Either way, to me it's a very sad idea that they were growing so close, only for Euden to forget it all because of Audric's... problems. It was so close to that little bit of happiness for the both of them, only for it to be dashed against the rocks. It also then seems to drive Audric to be more isolationist? As he accepts the idea that nobody is remembering him and that he deserves it, and then resolves more to take solace in actions that he's doing than forming any bonds since he knows they'll wither away just as soon. While he pretends to be fine with it, I'm sure it's still an emotional hardship that you can't form any meaningful relation with another and will be near-instantaneously forgotten as soon as you're gone.
To me, this exchange later in the main campaign almost sounds like Audric talking to himself, trying to stop himself from wallowing in the dream he would be remembered, and focusing on the actions he can take to effect change.
Even so, he's still trying to encourage Euden to remember something about their interactions, though he's accepted he himself won't be a part of them. He's trying to leave something behind to his son.
He's remembering what he once had with Euden, both his own and this world's Euden not all too long ago.
I think that's a huge part of Audric, aside from all that guilt and self-loathing: memories. As everyone else forgets, he remembers, and can only hope to use those memories for good to leave behind something.
Be it saving Euden from supposed-dead insects and their venom, or encouraging Emile to become a better ruler and person by using his memories of Emile as a guide to know what to say, to helping Nedrick understand that Euden and him needn't be enemies, Audric's- and Aurelius'- memories are what allow him to accomplish so much and influence his children on a better path.
And then, just after he dies, once and for all...
They might have started remembering.
This conversation is specifically noted to have occurred days after Audric died, which seems to fall greatly outside the range of time it normally took for people to forget Audric or details about him. But Euden and co still remember his existence, his identity, and his death.
Despite his constant affirmations that Audric knew he'd never leave behind anything of himself aside from any results of his actions, he might have left memories behind after all. It's just a shame his earlier bonds he had begun to form with Euden, old friends (Raemond) and new ones alike weren't able to survive beforehand.
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Against all my better judgment and backlog of games I started Tales Of Arise last night (I bought the game on release and never played it orz)
First impressions:
- is this the darkest opening for a Tales game? This feels like the darkest opening for a Tales game. I’m so used to things being colorful and cheery before the plot hits you with a freight train. This one starts at the freight train. Literally.
- I love how the cutscenes look though! Not yet sold on the skits but so far the skits have been more plotty than casual
- I am so used to Triangle being the menu and having 4 slots for artes. Give me back my 4th slot and shortcuts Bamco ;w;
- Like the titles/skills system but battles hardly give any SP lol
- LOVE the outfits system! Our characters will need to work their way up to their box art clothes I see xD
- Also really like how there’s an in game dlc menu that lets you view how the dlc outfits look. I’m not interested in buying them but I like seeing the models
- No legacy costumes? 🥺
- I really like the main duo right now. A girl cursed to hurt everyone she touches and a man who can’t feel pain
- A man also stuck in an iron mask. I look forward to finding out he’s the twin of the current king xD
- Shared CP is an interesting system. Here’s hoping my Bad At Video Games self doesn’t struggle with this ^^”
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One time I read an article (I believe on buzzfeed) about this woman who was playing with her dogs in her front yard when they, apparently out of nowhere, straight up ripped her arms off and I will NEVER forget how almost every comment on that article was from dog people claiming she abused the dogs with no evidence of that whatsoever because they could not imagine a dog doing a Bad Thing. And like one of the dogs was a boxer, which is a breed I'm very familiar with- they obviously don't rip owners arms off with their other breed of dog friends normally. But I also think it's absurd to claim someone abused those animals when sometimes dogs do fucked up shit. Doesn't make em evil or bad, sometimes dogs snap like people snap and that's fine no need to moralize which dogs are Bad Dogs but there's also no need to claim someone who went through a horrific tragedy and was victimized by their pets of all things was abusive to said pets with no proof.
Another person in the comments pointed out how weird and cult like everyone else was acting and as a cat person who has been told a number of times how awful and horrible my pets are I gotta agree lmao. Crazy what dog people will do to defend the obviously indefensible rather than being like "damn that's fucked up has anyone done a check on those dogs to see if maybe they've got a health issue that caused them to lash out like that" or otherwise act normal instead of jumping straight to victim blaming someone with no fuckin arms. Like damn dog people will call cats evil for eating you after you die (dogs do that too by the way, do you expect them to STARVE to death because you think your corpse matters more than your pets life? Wtf. Plus not all cats OR dogs will eat you post death so ??? Not to mention if I stick YOU in a room with nothing but dead grandma you will eat her too if I leave you there long enough why vilainize cats for *checks notes* eating food when starving) but then defend dogs doing literally the most fucked up shit I've ever read a pet doing. Of course the dogs were not evil or bad, sometimes shit happens and that says nothing about dogs as a whole but I wish cats got even REMOTELY the same respect from those same people. If you can acknowledge a couple dogs ripping their owners arms off probably doesn't make those dogs in particular evil there's no reason to treat all cats like they're evil incarnate.
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